Art of making match books



7, cut and Patented May 29, .1928.

' UNITED STA TES WARREN B. HUTCHINSON, OF BOONTON, NEW JERSEY. I

ART OF MAKING MATCH BOOKS.

Application filed June 5, 1925. Serial No. 35,218.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of making match books so called, in WlllCh a card of matches is contained ina folding cover; These match books are used largely for advertising purposes and are well known in the trade; The. general practics of making such match books is substantiallyas follows, The individual covers are laced one by one in a holder or carrier, t e individual cards are cut from prepared match strips each having a base, an a series of headed splints projecting from the base, and the individual cards are assembled one by one on the individual covers, after which the covers are folded and stitched to the cards. This necessitates handling the stock in small units, and while machines have been perfected to dothe work rapidly, still it is a great disadvantage to be compelled to handle the individual cards and covers as stated.

I have found that the work can be greatly facilitated and the match books more rapidly and economically made by handlin the stock in larger units, whereby some 0% the operations are eliminated. For example, if the cover strips. from which the individual covers are cut, have the match strips which "are of a length corresponding to the width of a plurality ofmatch cards placed the right )position to them, after this the individual cards and covers can be simultaneously cut, and if the match and cover stock are held'in this position untilthe work is finished, then the re-assembling of the severed parts is dispensed with. It is easier to fold a comparatively long cover strip over a long piece of matchrstrip, than it is to fold a single cover over a single card, and

also it is easier to attach the cards and covers in multiple than it is when they are separated. Therefore, by doing the cutting, folding, and fastening while the-main stock pieces, to wit, the cover strip andthe match strip, are held in correct position'and' without being disarranged, the books can be very economically, nicely, and rapidly produced. This will appear more clearly from the description which follows.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in allthe views.

F1gure 1 is a broken plan of a conventional cover-strip.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the strip slitt'ed at spaced intervals and for a part of its width to form the long flaps of the covers.

' Figure 3 is a broken planview of a match match books as cut from the strip shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the conventional match book, and

Flgure 8 is a broken perspective view of a pair of match strips with the cover strip folded over and attached thereto preparatory to cutting into match books.

In practice cover strips 10 are formed which are of a width corresponding to the length of an individual cover, and of a length equal to that of a plurality of covers.

It is customary to have a striking surface applied near-one edge of the blank or cover strip, as shown by dotted lines at 11 in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 5. The matches are cut from the strip 12, the length of which corresponds tothe width of a plurality of cards, these strips compris- 7 ing a base uncut portion 13, splints 14 projecting therefrom, and the usual heads 15'. It is customary also to leave gaps 16 between the groups of match'splints at points where the strips are to be cut, so that they can be cut to better advantage, but so far as my invention is concerned these gaps mayf or may not be left in the match str1pj As above stated, the usual practice'is to.

complete the individual coversfor the match books, then cut the match strips oif through the gap 16 or at corresponding points, and

deposit the cut cards upon the individual blanks or covers and fold the latter and also fasten them. y

In my practice, however, I lay astrip of books,

i when the cover strips are partially folded,

or when the folds are complete. The sequence of operation is not important, but I prefer to complete the fold and fasten the parts together before cutting off the match To facilitate this cutting, and obviatethe necessity of cutting through two thicknesses of stock, the cover strips 10 may -be slit transversely at spaced'intervals as shown at 17 in Figures 2 and 3,"so that the slit part will correspond to the long flaps 18 of the match books. After the firstfold has been made as in Figure-4, the short fold 19 is made in which the part of the cover strip provided with a striking surface 11 is folded over upon the base 13 so as to overlap the flap 18, and hold these flaps closed in the customary way, after which the sh rt flap 19 is stitched or otherwise fastened t the base 13; then theparts are in the position shown in Figure 8, and the individual book matches are cut off and are complete when cut, the

' parts are held in this position, both match books being severed along the parts shown by dotted lines in Figure 8, and as above stated the cuts may coincide with the parts 17 which have been already slittedso as to make the cutting operation easier. M

It will be noted' that when the cover strip is folded over and fastened upon-the match one, but it is just as easy to simultaneously cut the whole series of them from the pre-v pared stock. This greatly facilitates the work, and b parts are he d in position and the match books carried away for packing.

I have not shown the means for folding or cutting the stock, because this has nothing to do.with my invention, and there are many folders and cutters known to the art which can. be used for carrying out these operations. I

From the foregoing description it will 'be seen that the match strips, either one, two, I or more as desired, can be assembled in the" pos1t1on shown in Figure 3, with relation to the cover strip 10, and that when the can be cut through simultaneously, and that the folding may be done subsequent] ,or'the cover strip can be folded over as s own in Figure 5, either with or without" slitting the coverstrips, and the matchbooks cutoff individually or collecti ely; or the stock could be cut ip-like manner, When the Parts are in posltlon Shown in Fig re4;

books. T

dividual match books.

and while to form a plurality of matchbooks.

it is better to have the folding and fastening complete before cutting the match books, the

most essential thing is the simultaneouscutting ofthe match strips and cover strips 'while they are held in the right relative positions, and in completing the books without disturbing these positions.

It will be clear from .the foregoing description that the sequence of operations, that is cutting, folding, and fastemng, may

be varied without affecting the invention, and while in the claims to properly define the invention it is necessary to state one step or operation before another, I do not lmply by such statements that such sequence of operations is essential.

I claim match books,- which comprises disposing a strip of matchstock of a length corresponding to the .width of a plurality of match cards opposite a cover strip, folding the cover strip over the head and end portions of the matchstrip, and cutting through both match and cover strips to produce the match books. I

2. The improvement in the art of makin match books, which comprises folding 1. The improvement in the art of making I cover strip over the head and base portions of a, match strip ofthe width of a pluralit of match cards, and cutting through bot said strips to make; the individual match 3, The improvement in the art of making match books, f which comprises foldin a cover strip over thehead and base portions ofamatch strip of the width of a plurality of match cards, fastening the two strips to-" strip, the match books may be cut off one by gether, and cutting throu h both str1 make the individual matc relation, and then folding, fastening, and

cutting the two strips while in such position to form individual match books.

ps to any suitable machinery the the cover strip and matchstrip in folding 5. The improvement'in the art of making match books, which comprises folding a cover stri upon a match strip, fastenin the folde covers to the: match strip, an simultaneously cutting through both strips at spaced points to form a plurality of inv 6. The improvement in the art of making match books which includes disposing a strip) of match stock'adjacent a cover strip a strips then cutting through both; matchstripand 8. The method of making match books,

which consists in providing a match card.

strip embodying match cards for a. plurality of match books, roviding a cover sheet embodying a num er of covers for the match books e ual to the number of match cards embodled in the match card cover strip together, and then separating. the composite sheet so formed into indi- 10 vidualmatch books.

In 'tbstimony'whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 4th day of June, 1925.

WARREN B. HUTCHINSON. 

